


The One Who Was a Teacher

by Neferit



Series: The One [4]
Category: Dragon Age - All Media Types
Genre: Angst and Humor, Community: dragonage_kink, F/M, Humor, Hurt/Comfort, Kink Meme
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-11-15
Updated: 2012-11-15
Packaged: 2017-11-18 18:21:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,664
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/564030
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Neferit/pseuds/Neferit
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When he saw his soon-to-be-fellow-Warden for the first time, he was slightly taken aback by how pale and unhealthy she looked. Her face was pale, as if she never went to see sun, her armor seemed to be hanging on her figure... Yet her eyes were flashing with determination, her pose proud, voice clear. Thea. Her name was Thea.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The One Who Was a Teacher

When he saw his soon-to-be-fellow-Warden for the first time, he was slightly taken aback by how pale and unhealthy she looked. Her face was pale, as if she never went to see sun, her armor seemed to be hanging on her figure... Yet her eyes were flashing with determination, her pose proud, voice clear. Thea. Her name was Thea. And yes. She was pretty, one of the prettiest women he ever laid his eyes on, too. The other recruits fell in line behind her, as they explored the Korcari Wilds, talking to each other quietly, Thea barking orders when they were fighting small group of Darkspawn and all of them following them to a T without thinking about it.

She also had the strangest habit of being absolutely polite to everyone she talked to, no matter of the place or standing of the person. He didn't quite understand why she bothered about those swamp witches - until he had the opportunity to talk to the old one. She truly was a witch, powerful one at that, her powers making his templar senses tingle. Still it surprised him to no end when he woke up at the Korcari Wilds hut, whispering of the two witches in the air, as they were pulling arrows out of Thea's body, bandaging the wounds, while his companion, now probably the only other Grey Warden, looked dead to his eyes, her already pale skin having ashen shade to it.

He didn't want to remain all alone in the world.

When she actually exited the hut, already dressed in her garb, donning her swords and giving him rather startled look when he run to her and hugged her tight at first, but then she returned the embrace, gripping him just as tightly; it felt a bit as if both of them were trying to make sure the other one is truly alive.

He always knew being a Grey Warden will be a tough call, but this had been too tough; to be one of the only two surving Grey Wardens in the whole Ferelden, and have only a fellow Warden (whom you didn't really know yet, even if Duncan wrote about her in his letter. Duncan. Oh Maker, he missed his mentor so much).

Morrigan, the young witch, obviously thought it very funny to be so shocked from losing what you thought a family in matter of few short moments, and only quick Thea's intervetion stopped them before it could go ugly. And she had intervened in a way which was polite and strict, so none of them could be insulted by her speaking up. She quickly distracted them both by asking what they think they should do then they enetered Lothering; small village which was bursting with life, fear and desperation.

And also with people who wanted to help.

He was a bit bewildered to see her accept help from some strange woman in Chantry robe, and agree to free a convicted murderer - but that was something she refused to discuss in front of those two.

They spent the whole day in Lothering, getting some basic equipment for all of them and hunting around in the wilderness to make sure they will have enough food for few days travel. Thea came to him once, to ask him how he's holding up. He remembered he asked her whether she ever lost someone. When she answered after few seconds of tense silence, he felt like the biggest heel ever. "Yes. I lost my whole family when Duncan recruited me."

She waved his excuses away, saying that he couldn't know and that is it alright; they have Blight to take care of and the murderer of her family will pay. She made him tell her stories about his time with the Wardens, laughing about the episode with Gregor, offering a comforting pat on the shoulder when it reminded him of Duncan, and he thought he may love her a bit.

His interest wasn't returned, as he realized pretty quickly. She would flirt, possibly, if she felt like it - but most of the time, she seemed to be too calm and serene to actually feel emotions like love. She felt affection, sure. She felt compassion. But love, the one always described in books forbidden in Chantry, overcoming all odds? Not very likely.

He definitely seemed not to surprise her much when he told her of his father. His real father, that's it, when they arrived to Redcliffe. She just gazed at him for some time; he thought he could feel her eyes tracing his features, before she nodded and asked how many people are aware of that fact. He expected her to explode in his face, demanding to know why he didn't tell her before so this rendered him speechless for a few moments before he stuttered an answer out.

He also finally realized something important about Thea that day. Duncan wrote about her in detail in his letter, but he didn't realized the importance of that, until they were in Redcliffe Chantry talking with Bann Teagan. Her origin. Uncharacteristically, Thea was wearing helmet which hid her face from the view, and he later learnt why. She didn't want to be recognized prematurely, relying on the element of surprise. And she sure surprised Bann Teagan, as she revealed her identity.

"My lady Thea!" he cried out, crushing her in his embrace, relief showing clearly on his face, only to give way to embarrassement before she hugged him just as tightly back. He said it is good to see at least one of the Cousland alive. Cousland. _Cousland?!_ Oh Maker, how comes he didn't realize that?!

He talked to her about her noble status later that day, when they helped the villagers to prepare for the night as well as they could in the limited time they had at their disposal. She patted her mabari, sending it to patrol the road to Redcliffe, before she answered his questions about her family. So, her family had been murdered at the night when most of their forces left for Ostagar, leaving only small militia at the castle itself. She survived only due to Duncan's presence, and promise made by her parents that if he helps her to get out and reach the King, she will become a Grey Warden. While King Cailan - she spoke rather fondly about him, although with touch of sadness - promised that Howe will be dealt with, she doubted that with King's death anything will be done about him, unless she dealt with the traitor herself. And as he watched her expression darken, he knew she meant it.

Thea was very strict in what she did. Once she was told that she is the leader here, she would - sometimes pretty ruthlessly - decide things in way she deemed right, and when he questioned her decision, she told him "later, Alistair" and continued on her way. Until the "later" came. Then she would sit down with him, draw how things were, what was known, what were the possible outcomes and what led her to her decision. "Everyone is out for themselves, Alistair. You better learn that, sooner rather than later," she would say. When he met with his sister, Goldanna, he finally understood what she meant and went for that.

As they travelled to Denerim with Arl Eamon to attend the Landsmeet and hopefully sway the nobles with Eamon's rhetorics, Thea's charm and Alistair's origin, Thea told him: "I think you should marry Anora."

In the very first moment he thought she was making fun of him but her face suggested otherwise. She was serious, and as he listened to the reasoning behind that sentence, it sure made sense. Anora already ruled the country, so she would be able to teach him about the art of ruling, and he would add to their reign the neccesary drop of Theirin blood.

No one had prepared him that he will be due to the shocks of Thea being dragged to Fort Drakon and that Anora is even more beautiful than anyone told him before.

When Zevran and Oghren got Thea from Fort Drakon, she didn't even really slow down to rest for a moment, quickly getting him and Anora together, discussing their plans for the Landsmeet, getting their agreement to the marriage between them. She left quickly after agreement had been reached, leaving him alone with Anora. And he really felt awkward, like a little boy being left alone with a pretty woman he got crush on. Anora watched him with interest. It was quite a surprise to both of them that they managed to talk for hours, not running out of topics, only to be interrupted by being called away for a dinner much later that day.

It was a sight to behold to watch Thea march to the Landsmeet chamber, her back straight, head kept up, her whole posture proud and dignified. And the way she spoke - it was very captivating, how she listed reasons why Loghain should be removed from the post of Regent. Yet his heart almost stopped when Loghain's men grabbed their weapons when the Landsmeet voiced their support to the Wardens.

Loghain and Thea were the only ones who didn't move, apart from standing even straighter than they did before, both of them calling any forces which would have listened to them to stand down. It was so very strange, to see the two generals - for that was what Thea was; Grey Warden general - eyeing each other, seizing their opponent as they prepared for a duel.

Duel, which will decide the fate of Ferelden.

Thea and Loghain circled each other, their eyes searching for any weakness in the armor of their opponent. Loghain chose his traditional sword and shield, both being from the time of rebelion. Thea asked him for the Highever shield, switching her buckler for the heavier and sturdier shield of her home, seemingly relaxing under its weight. The regent obviously recognized the heraldy, his scowl deepening minutely at the sight.

That was when he charged.

Alistair stood next to Anora, both of them staring at the duel. He felt her hand reaching for his in silent plea for comfort, for even if Anora understood that Loghain needs to be removed, it still pained her to watch him fight Thea. And he himself was conflicted - he didn't want the woman by his side to see her father die, but at the same time, this man was the cause of the civil war. When Thea managed to fight him to surrender, and exchanging few words with him, the man looked ready to die.

But of course fate decided to play another interlude. Riordan appeared, and suggested Loghain be conscripted to Grey Wardens. That was when Alistair snapped, pouring all the frutration and grief of the last months into one sharp and commanding talk, listing the points why Loghain shouldn't be conscripted, Thea agreeing with him, her eyes alight.

Anora herself tried to argue on Loghain being left to undertake the Joining, showing surprising knowledge about the ritual, sending shivers down Alistair's back as he exchanged alarmed look with Thea. And although Riordan was the senior Warden in here, he bowed to decision made by Thea. Loghain was to be executed, the only mercy given to him was to exchange few last words.

"Anora," said Thea quietly. "Do not look."

Almost against her will, Anora hid her face in Alistair's chest, her body shaking with sobs as Thea removed Loghain's head off his shoulders with a wide sweep of her sword.

The rest of the Landsmeet went over his head, Anora and Thea having speeches he only half-joined with his words of support, when he found himself in Arl Eamon's estate again. The rest of their companions joined Thea in the dining room, discussing matters quietly, pointing things on a map and writing notes on pieces of parchment, when he entered the room, all of them immediately standing at attention.

It made him quite uneasy that all of sudden, after all this time he voluntarily spent by following someone else, he would be the one who did the leading. She gave him one of her rare sincere smiles as she patted him on the shoulder. "Don't worry, Alistair. It will all end well, and believe me, one dayyou'll find out you like it."

When they marched all the way to Redcliffe only to find out the main horde is in truth marching to Denerim, it sure didn't look like that. Denerim, which had been left almost defenceless, with only small militia being left behind. It didn't look like that when Riordan finally told them why the Grey Wardens are needed to end the Blight. After he told them, they left for their rooms, each wanting to be alone with their thoughts. And next day, Thea looked like a death warmed over and Morrigan was missing.

It felt like a punch to the gut when they fought their way to Denerim and Thea left him behind, to defend the gates. It should be his duty to ensure the Archdemon died that day, in case Riordan wouldn't make it, but Thea disagreed. As they said their farewells, Thea hugged him, and he felt her shaking under that calm mask of hers.

"Live gloriously after the Blight, my friend," she told him, her eyes shining with more emotions he could ever remember her showing. And then she was running to inner city gate with Wynne, Oghren and Zevran following her, and he felt tears in his eyes ready to spill. He wiped them away roughly, unwilling to look weak in front of his men.

The Darkspawn came, part of the main horde breaking from the main battlefield, hoping to break into the city again. But he wouldn't let them - he promised Thea as much. Once, he had a feeling he felt a sharp stab in his head - and then he saw the dragon, the Archdemon, breaking its flight from high above the city to crash on top of Fort Drakon. And then, just when the reinforcements from Redcliffe, led by Bann Teagan, arrived, there was bright beam of light at the Fort, drawing eyes of everyone close enough to witness it, be it elf, dwarf, human or Darkspawn. Then there was loud boom and the Darkspawn were running away in panic, the armies hunting them down and killing all they could.

The Blight was finally over, but as he gazed at dead body of his friend, he couldn't help but think it should be him, and not her who died, because her brother - the only family of hers who left castle before the massacre, was alive. He was devastated to find out that he is the only surviving member of the whole house of Cousland and after he read through Thea's journal (she had been keeping one to write her thoughts into, as well as details of the things they had to do), he was inconsolable.

_'Brother, if you are still alive and are reading this, know, that I'm deeply ashamed I was unable to protect our family. By ending the Blight, I hope I will wash away at least part of the shame I feel when I remember that.'_

Luckily there had been others who helped him to keep Fergus alive before he got at least slightly better. He showed to be a good friend to Alistair, reminding him strongly of Thea, supporting his and Anora's rule. After a year, Alistair was quite sure he actually saw him giving Leliana interested looks, and these looks were definitely returned by the bard.

It felt good to be King time to time, he thought, as he watched celebrations of anniversary of victory against the Blight. With a small smile, he looked to the skies and laughed, because to him, it suddenly felt as if Thea just elbowed him in the ribs and said: "I told you so."


End file.
